Bruises
by IvyClare2020
Summary: I'm used to blood and gore and death. So I'm surprised when my breath leaves me as they roll her in. She's a bloody pulp of a woman, all broken and bruised. Her body is black, blue and red, dotted with droplets of sweat and tears. I lean in closer to her. Somewhere, amidst the scent of blood, I catch the scent of something floral. Cherry Blossoms. Reincarnation fic.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi, everyone! So, this is a reincarnation fic. I've wanted to do one for a while now, and I decided I'd do it with SasuSaku as the main focas. The rating of this story may change. With that said, I'm going to warn you that I have switched the names of all the characters. To help you keep them straight, I will list the characters and their modern names with each chapter they appear in.**

 **Here are the characters and their modern names:**

 **Sasuke Uchiha- Cade Gray**

 **Hinata Hyuga- Hannah Haralson**

 **Sakura Haruno- Lilly Hall**

 **Also, this story will be told from multiple points of view, and there will be a bit of OOC because each character has been through different events then they were in the actual** _ **Naruto**_ **universe.**

 **I do not own Naruto or the cover image. I found the cover image on Google.**

 **Please enjoy!**

* * *

Cade

I've never been bothered by blood. Even when I was a little kid, I never was perturbed by it. The first time I saw the crimson, sticky liquid, I didn't cry. I simply stared at it, wondering how I had gone from toddling on the concrete to getting a face full of the hot ground.

That was the first time, but certainly not the last. I was seven when it happened, but I still remember it, some odd years later. It was raining, hard. My father had been driving, my mom in the passenger seat. My older brother, Asher, was asleep, his finger wrapped around mine. I was looking out the window, watching the moonlight rise and fall on the glistening pavement. The car jerked, and I heard a screech. Then, the scream. My mother's shrill cry echoed off the trees as we slammed into the unforgiving bark of the nearest tree. The glass shattered, and I could feel a warm liquid run down my arm. There was blood, so much blood. My mother's, father's and brother's blood mixed together in red ribbons in the puddles on the road. I remember the white spots that took over my vision as I fell from consciousness. When I came to, I was in a white washed room. I remember the steady beep of the heart monitor, the pounding in my skull. I remember a nurse with a soft, dough-like face. She kept smiling at me, saying everything was going to be okay. Even at that age, I knew it was a load of crap. My suspicions were confirmed when I was told that both my parents were gone. _"They're not really gone, Cade. They'll always be with you."_ Yeah, right.

That's why I never lie to my patients. I work in the ER, and we all have a mutual agreement that some won't make it out of that room. I'm not one to tell them that they're going to be fine if I know they're not. I don't believe in that. Maybe that's why I can handle blood. It's not something to be scared of. It's part of life. Just like death.

Which is why I'm surprised when my breath leaves me when they roll her in.

She's a bloody pulp of a woman, all broken and bruised. Her body is black, blue and red, dotted with droplets of sweat and tears. Why anyone would want to dye their hair pink is beyond me, but her cotton candy hair is streaked with blood. She smells of iron and body odor. The smell is mixing with the too-clean-scent of the emergency room. Not the worst stench I've ever smelled, though it still manages to turn my stomach. She's curled into a fetal position, her arms wrapped around her abdomen. What was once was a red dress is now rags draped around her frail, shaking body.

She's by far not in life-threatening condition, but she's in pretty bad shape. A nurse, Hannah, I think her name is, takes a stethoscope and pushes it into the woman's chest.

"Have you checked her vital signs, Hannah?" I ask. Hannah turns to face me, her face stoic.

"Yes, Dr. Gray. Her temperature is thirty-eight degrees Celsius, respiration rate is fifteen breaths per minute, pulse is one-hundred and ten, blood pressure eighty over sixty," she whispers. Her voice is soft and quiet, like a bell. Sometimes I wonder how she ended up here, among the bloodied and barley-alive. When you look at her, you wouldn't think she does what she does.

"Did they find anything else?"

Hannah nods her head, which makes her dark ponytail flip around her face. "Yes. They found a purse and a wallet. They've identified her as Lilly Hall."

I lean in closer to her. Somewhere, amidst the scent of blood, I catch the scent of something floral. Cherry Blossoms.

* * *

Lilly

 _I can't breathe. It's hurting me. Over and over, pounding my body. I feel its fists first, then its belt, then blood. I scream, or I try to. I cry out, and the saltwater tears are burning my face. My ribs hurt, my legs hurt, my body is shaking. Where am I? I don't remember. It comes closer, dark shadows play across the room. It's a monster. It's coming for me. How are the neighbors not hearing this? Why is no one here to save me? Why does it feel like I'm drowning?_

 _My vision is burry. I can't see. I press myself against the wall. It's cold. I see my blood smear on its smooth surface. I open my mouth, but it presses a cold hand against my lips and smiles. It pushes me down, and hits me. Again and again. I scream but it doesn't stop. I try throwing things at it, but it keeps hitting me until I'm numb._

 _Afterwards, it grabs me and tosses me into its truck. I feel it move, hear the tires scrape the pavement. My head hurts. I might throw up. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe._

 _It grabs me by my clothes and throws me onto the side of the road. I hit the concrete. I hear ringing as my head cracks the hard surface. I see darkness. I melt into it. It's the only place belong._

* * *

 **I hope you liked it! Please review and tell me what you think.**

 **Best Regards,**

 **Ivy**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi everyone! First off, I'd like to thank all of those who followed, favorited or reviewed this story. I was blown away by the positive response. I'll be honest with you, it made me slightly hesitant to post again. I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as you did the previous.**

 **Again, the characters will be slightly OOC, and I have changed their names to fit in with the reincarnation. Here's the list of characters and their new names:**

 **Sasuke Uchiha- Cade Gray**

 **Hinata Hyuga- Hannah Haralson**

 **Sakura Haruno- Lilly Hall**

 **Naruto Uzumaki- Luke Wright**

 **I do not own Naruto or the cover image. I found the cover image on Google.**

* * *

Lilly

When I was in tenth grade, my school preformed _Les M_ _iserables_. I was always a dramatic person, and on a whim, I auditioned. Somehow, I got the role of Fantine. I'd always thought of myself as an empathetic person. I thought I understood what she felt; what it was like to lose everyone and everything you ever loved. To be so hopeless that all you can do is try to remember the good times.

I was wrong.

You can't comprehend what it's like to be that hopeless unless you've been in that dark place. You can fool yourself into believing that you do, but you don't. I learned that when I lost everything. I had everything, just like Fantine. I had my whole life ahead of me. He was part of it. My completing half. However, he betrayed me. Stole everything from me. Took away the most important thing you can possess: hope.

Just like what happened to Fantine.

And so, I rot. I rot into an empty, blurred shell of nothing. The emptiness spreads through my body, through my fingertips, down my spine. I'm hollow from the inside out.

I hear voices. Fingers begin to probe me, and a scream threatens to emerge from my throat. I want to tell them to stop, but my throat is burning, my lips refusing to form words. But their touch is different from IT's. It's firm, but gentle. I feel something being wrapped around my arm, encasing me. I shiver, and my eyes open.

* * *

Cade

You can tell a lot about someone by looking in their eyes. If they're happy or sad. If they're sick or healthy. If they have something to live for or not. If they are dead or alive.

I know that when people say that eyes are the window to the soul, they're probably right.

I learn a lot about Lilly as soon as she opens her eyes.

I'm wrapping her wounds when I see them. A flash of jade. They could be beautiful, but they're lifeless, dead. I look at her and I know she's broken. I know she's been through hell and back, and she's not going to trust me. Trust anyone for that matter. I look at her and I see the walls she's built to shield herself from getting hurt again. I see pain and shame and loathing. I see hate.

Whoever did this to her was one hell of a bastard.

Then, it hits me. With dizzying force, a tidal wave. An auditory and visual hallucination that blinds my senses. My vision swims as the pictures begin to swirl around in my brain. A boy; his blonde hair soaked and dripping. He's lying on the ground, his eyes shut. Pain ripples through my neck and shoulder, and my hand reaches up and clutches it. I cry out. My knees fail me, and I fall to the rain-soaked ground. My face is inches away from his, and something slips off my forehead. It hits the ground.

The sensation leaves just as soon as it came. The images disappear, and I'm back in the hospital room. I can feel drops of sweat forming and trailing down my face. My head pounds, my vision is still blurry. I can feel eyes staring into me, I hear voices, but the words they're saying don't make much sense to me. I look at her. Her eyes are wide, and I make the mistake of looking into them again.

The wooziness comes back and one last image splays across my field of vision. Green eyes, filling with moisture. Her lower lip begins to quiver. The desperate look on her face makes my stomach hurt. I turn around so I don't have to face her. My throat burns as she cries out, "I love you with all my heart!"

Suddenly, I'm behind her. I inhale her scent. Cherry blossoms. My mouth begins to move on its own accord.

"Thank you for everything… Sakura."

 _Sakura._

* * *

Luke

"Hello?"

"Naruto?"

"What is it, Hinata?"

"I- I think he remembered."

"He…are you sure?"

"I…I think so. He was fine until she woke up. Sakura, I mean."

"What happened?"

"The same thing that happened to me when I met you. He was perfectly fine, and then he just spaced out. When he snapped out of it, he got sick."

"And Sakura?"

"She hasn't spoken yet."

"Take care of her for me, okay? She'll remember somehow. I promised them we'd all see each other again. And I'll do whatever it takes to keep that promise."

* * *

 **I hope you enjoyed it! Please review and tell me what you thought!**

 **Best Regards,**

 **Ivy**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi everyone! So, I wasn't satisfied at all with the last chapter, so I went ahead and made some changes. I know you're not supposed to do that, but I wanted to improve this chapter. I hope you can forgive me! Most of the chapter is the same, with a little bit more added in.**

 **Again, thank you so much for your review, favorites, and follows! I hope this chapter makes more sense than the original chapter three.**

 **The characters will be slightly OOC, and I have changed their names to fit in with the reincarnation. Here's the list of characters and their new names:**

 **Sasuke Uchiha- Cade Gray**

 **Hinata Hyuga- Hannah Haralson**

 **Sakura Haruno- Lilly Hall**

 **I do not own Naruto or the cover image. I found the cover image on Google.**

* * *

Lilly

I watch him stumble, watch his body tremble. He's in a trance, not answering to anyone, anything. Maybe all the blood and gore of his job final cracked him. The nurses rush to him, and I pity the guy. He looks bad enough already without having a bunch of fangirling women surround him like a pack of piranhas. He stands up, most ungracefully and somehow makes it to the door. He leans against the wall, hand covering his mouth like he might throw up. He glances at me. My throat constricts. His eyes are pleading. Scared.

I swallow and watch him stumble through the door. He's mouthing something, but I'm too tired to try and decipher it. The nurses quietly shuffle out, their whispers creating a chorus of gossip. The only remaining nurse is Hannah, which surprises me since she likes to follow him around like a lost puppy. It's a little weird, like she's watching for something to happen. She comes over to me and checks my IV bag and vitals like an actual nurse.

"He'll be fine. It's going around. I just hope he didn't infect any of you," she murmurs. I can't quite tell if she's talking to me or herself. Probably both.

I nod and decide I'm tired of lying down. I attempt to sit up, but pain bursts up my torso and forces me back down again.

"Oh, no! Be careful. Just lie still. You have three fractured ribs and a concussion. You're wrist is broken, as is your ankle. You're going to be sore for a while," she says. She smiles and gently places my head back on the pillow.

She moves away from my face and towards the bottom of the bed, most likely checking out my ankle. Then, she attempts to make small talk. That's not really my thing, so I end up just listening to her life story.

"I have a boyfriend, you know. His name is Luke. You to should meet sometime, I think you'd get along."

What's this lady getting at? Who wants another girl to hang out with their girlfriend? Whatever, I couldn't compete with her, anyway. She's one of those women who's blessed with curves in all the right places, and a pretty face to match. I, on the other hand, am blessed with fractured ribs and broken bones, and the more she talks the more my head starts to pound.

She continues talking, but I drown her out until she touches my ankle. I hiss, and she squeaks an apology. She goes through every injured body part and accesses, much to my dismay. By the time she's done, I think my head's about to explode.

Finally, after a dose of painkillers, she leaves, giving me a small smile before shutting the door.

I welcome the darkness that comes afterwords.

* * *

Cade

It happens again. While I'm driving, I almost run off the road when an image of two bodies, stacked on top of each other takes over my vision. There's blood, so much blood. A boy stands over them; blood dripping from his sword. I'm brushing my teeth when I slam a boy, who I believe is my friend, headfirst into the ground after jumping off a cliff. I watch his body drift off into a lake, seemingly dead. I'm lying in bed when my hand wraps around the green-eyed girl's throat. I squeeze. I grip the blonde boy's shirt, watch him cough blood. Crimson drips down my arm, warm and sticky. I can smell it, the sickening metallic scent.

They keep coming. One by one, a life pieces together. I try to tell myself it's nothing; a scary movie that I'm just now remembering, a dream. But I can feel it. I see it. Over and over. Suddenly, midnight turns into three, and three turns into five. I don't sleep. I just stare at the empty white ceiling above my head in an effort to keep the nauseating dizziness at bay. It doesn't work.

I'm not really a religious person, but I find myself praying for it to be done. I pray that I will wake up and have no recollection of the memories that keep taking over my senses.

I guess it worked. The next morning, it's over. Well, the sickness anyways.

The memories are still there. All of them. My whole life is flashing before my eyes, and I know who they are. I call the hospital and blame it on food poisoning so they let me work. Maybe it's a bit irresponsible, but I have to see them. I have to see _her._

Luck is on my side today. Good thing, too. I don't know how to casually mention in a conversation that you're actually a whole other person with a past life. Hopefully, Hannah knows. She's always been kind of strange.

As I reach Lilly's room, I run into Hannah. Literally.

"Oh, Dr. Gray!" she exclaims. She drops a bunch of papers and they scatter across the floor. She ducks down to gather them, and I grab her wrist. She freezes.

"Where is he?"

Her purple eyes go wide and her mouth drops open. She stutters. "Who, sir?"

I glare at her. She knows full well what I'm talking about.

"Naruto? Where is he?" I say. She stares at me for a minute, and I think that maybe I've really lost it. I let go of her wrist as she stares at me and begin to turn away.

"He's alright, I promise," she whispers. I turn back around. Her eyes are filling up, and I internally yell at myself because I can't handle crying people. She smiles and lets out this half sob-half giggle. "He missed you."

Okay, so I'm not crazy. I walk back towards her. "Your name is Hinata Uzumaki. My name is Sasuke Uchiha. And that woman in there? Lilly? That's Sakura, isn't it?"

* * *

 **Again, I'm sorry that the last chapter was not my best and I hope you enjoyed the revision of it! Thank you all for taking the time to give it another chance! Please leave a review and tell me what you thought!**

 **Best Regards,**

 **Ivy**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi everyone! Thank you all so much for your reviews, follows and favorites! I can't express how much it means to me!**

 **Again, I'm going to warn you that the characters are a little OOC. I'm not sure if you need me to keep listing their names, but I think this is the last chapter I'm going to do it.**

 **Here are the characters and their reincarnated names:**

 **Sasuke Uchiha- Cade Gray**

 **Hinata Hyuga- Hannah Haralson**

 **Sakura Haruno- Lilly Hall**

 **I do not own Naruto.**

 **I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

Cade

There's nothing you can really do when you realize that your whole life, you've been living a lie. That your identity is not real. There isn't a guide book, or a "Reincarnation for Dummies". There are no words to describe what it feels like, no actions. I just have to deal with the fact that twenty-four hours ago, I was Cade Gray. Now, I'm Sasuke Uchiha.

I watch Hannah, or rather, Hinata, as she slowly nods her head. "I think so. I can't be positive until she remembers and says something. If she does remember, she hasn't shown any signs."

I swallow hard. My palms are sweating. Something flashes in my mind, something that smacks me upside the head and reminds me why I shouldn't care. Why I tend to avoid people and for that matter, relationships. I see him, Asher, getting into his beat-up truck and driving off. I see my seven year-old-self carrying a tiny suitcase and standing in front of an old house with peeling white paint and a rickety front porch. I see myself watching as the my peers get picked up, big smiles on their faces as their new parents take them away into what seemed like paradise. I watched them until I realized that I might as well stay inside. That was years after my brother left me, and by that point, I knew nobody wanted an older kid like me. All the older kids are too far gone, right? Or at least, that's what I figured out.

It starts to bite at me, the fear. I've felt it before. I've felt it when I get close to someone. I've felt it right before I pull away. All of the excitement I felt a moment ago flips and turns into cold, gripping fear. I want to wake up in the morning and be Cade Gray. That's who I am, that's who I've always been. Maybe I came to Hinata thinking I'd get some kind of confirmation that I'm insane, or thinking that I'd have woken up by now. I know that I didn't want to know that one of my patients is my wife and my co-worker is my best friend's wife and that Cade Gray never really existed. I watch Hinata's mouth move, but I'm not listening. I'm paying more attention to the pounding in my head. _I am Cade Gray. I am Cade Gray. I am Cade Gray._

"Uhm… Sasuke? Are you alright? You look a little pale…"

I realize Hinata's hand is on my shoulder and instinctively shrug it off. "I'm always pale," I snap.

She looks down at the ground. "So do you? Do you remember… do you remember what happened that night?" she whispers.

Maybe I should pay more attention when other people are talking to me. However, most of the time, I don't really care what they're saying. "You could be a bit more specific, Hinata. Listen, I don't have time for this," I growl.

I try to move away, but she grabs my arm. "So you don't remember that night?" she says. Her voice isn't quiet this time. Her eyes flash and her lip quivers.

I shake my head. I want to get away. I don't want to know these things and I don't want to care. I have walls against this sort of thing for a reason. Nobody likes to lose people they love, me included, and somehow, I've developed a habit of it. "Hannah, I don't know what you're talking about. We both have work to do and I suggest you do it."

"Sasuke…" she murmurs. I meet her eyes. They're filling to the brim with tears, and I can tell she's trembling. I suddenly see her in a wedding dress, trembling just like this as she slips a ring onto Naruto's finger. Naruto glances at me, grinning. I can hear his voice, " _Thanks, Sasuke._ _I couldn't have asked for a better best man."_

I've got a gut feeling that this is the truth. That my name is Sasuke Uchiha and that woman in there is my wife. But I say it anyways.

"Hannah, my name is Cade Gray."

Her eyes widen, and her hand falls to her side. I dart away, leaving her behind. I don't miss the tear that spills from her eye and falls to the floor.

* * *

She isn't awake when I get there. She isn't exactly what you would call peaceful, though. She shifts and moans, and when she breathes in, it's sharp. A burst of breath that usually results in a groan. I stand by her bed and check her vitals.

I keep glancing at her face. She has the same hair, same features, same forehead that Sakura did. But I'm still not accepting the fact that she was my wife. But maybe if she remembered…

I decide to do the unthinkable. After all, isn't that what Sasuke does best?

I remember something. Something special that I only did to her and Sarada. Something that was more meaningful to me than words most of the time. Maybe if I do this, she'll remember.

I stand up and walk over to her bed. I hesitate before pressing my middle and index fingers to her forehead. Gentle and soft. That's how I used to do it, or how I remember doing it.

She stirs. Her eyes flicker open. There's this thin line of hope that appears, and suddenly, this reality doesn't look as doomed after all. She pauses and I find myself praying for something, yet I don't really know what I want. All I know that things are never going to be the same after today.

She gasps and flinches away from me. Her voice is hoarse as she chokes out, "Don't touch me."

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, and I know. The string of hope snaps. Guess that's what I deserve.

* * *

 _I can't breathe. I can't speak. I'm just falling. I hit the ground in a heap. I can feel the warm blood seeping from my body. I hear a scream, and someone is in front of me. They pull me off the dirt and into their arms._

" _Papa," Sarada whispers. Her tears begin to fall down her face and dot my cheeks. I groan as pain shoots through my chest._

" _Go, now," I say. My throat hurts. She shakes her head, indignant._

" _I'm not leaving you."_

" _Go find your mother and run. Don't be stupid. Just go!" It hurts to talk now. I can see my blood darkening her clothes. I tap her forehead. "Be careful."_

 _She lets out a sob before squeezing me one more time. "I love you, Papa."_

 _And she's gone._

 _I don't know how long I lie there, staring at the sky, listening to the screams and sobs echoing through the streets. It's dark, the only light is the moon and the fire that is enveloping the city. I'm drifting when I hear him. Naruto. He's clutching his stomach as he stumbles towards me, his white robe stained crimson._

 _He tips and begins to fall forward. He crumbles beside me, and stares up at the sky. "I'm glad I found you."_

" _Did you see Sarada? Is she okay?" I ask._

 _"I don't know. I came to find you after..." he falters and groans. My throat swells and I don't want to ask. I do anyway._

" _And Sakura?"_

 _Naruto shakes his head. "I think she's treating the sick and wounded in the middle of the city. She's far away from danger-"_

 _He's cut off as he turns on his side and heaves up blood. Tears drip from his eyes into the blood soaked ground. I want to cry. I should cry. But I don't. I just wish I had the time to say one more, "I love you" to her. I wish I'd spent less time on missions and more time with her. I wish I could have said goodbye. I choke on a sob and try to force it back down. Naruto turns back to me and gives me this sad smile._

" _We'll see each other again, Sasuke. I promise."_

* * *

 **I don't think this was the best chapter, but I hope you enjoyed it anyways! Please review!**

 **Best Regards,**

 **Ivy**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi everyone! Thank you all so much for reading this far! It means a lot to me that somebody is at least interested in my writing. Also, thank you to Angel-Of-Dance93 for** **suggesting that I make the chapters longer. It gave me the proper motivation to make this one longer.**

 **I'm super nervous about this chapter, but I hope you all enjoy it.**

 **I do not own Naruto.**

* * *

Cade

My mask slips as she recoils and flattens herself against the back of the bed. She pants, then groans as her wounds act up.

"I apologize. Please hold still, though. I have to check your wounds," I say. My tone returns to its natural state; montone and unfeeling. I reach for my stethoscope and push it into my ears, preparing to check her heart. I move to lift her gown when she shrieks and grabs my wrist, her eyes wild. I move my hand away casually, though my heart is pounding.

"I'm not going to hurt you. Now, please. I need to check your heart."

She glares, hateful fire leaking from her eyes as the stethoscope hovers above her chest. Her shoulders tense as I lift up her gown. I press the stethoscope into her skin and feel her body shudder. Her heart beat is erratic, her breathing heavy, most likely because of what just conspired. I remove the tool before moving her gown back down. She sucks in a breath.

"How are you feeling?" I ask, though I know it's got an obvious answer.

Pain flickers on her face and she bites her lip, though she doesn't verbalize. I frown.

"Does it hurt to breathe?" I ask, already reaching for the medication on the tray next to me. She moans, as if to answer my question.

"You have several fractured ribs, a concussion, and several other broken bones. Can you tell me what you're feeling?" I say as I pour the syrup into a small cup. She doesn't answer, just stares at the ceiling.

I've dealt with imbecile foster siblings, overly-persistent teachers, unreachable patients. I've dealt with fangirls since I was in the fifth grade, and if these memories are real, I've dealt with them since I was five. I've dealt with people who don't stop, who won't let up. People who truly believed they could help me. People who thought they could make me better after my brother abandoned me; that they could fix me. People like my middle school counselor, who would always call me into his office and talk my ear off. He said that it was good for me to talk about my feelings. He said I needed to make friends. I never listened. Back then, I kept in the shadows where nobody would notice me. Stay silent. That was my motto. Ignore them, let them believe that they are helping you and they'll leave you alone.

Now I understand how those people felt when they realized they never did anything for me but test my patience. I look at her, this broken women. This women who, if these memoires are reality, is my wife. This women whose life is probably in pieces. I look at her, and I don't see glazed eyes. I see the way she blushes when she says, "Sasuke". I see the creases that form at the corner of her mouth when she smiles.

All the cheesy, soap opera crap running through my head aside, all those people who tried to help me had a fault; they gave up at some point in my life. And if there's even the slightest possibility that these memories are real, that this women is Sakura… giving up on her isn't something I'm going to do.

* * *

A phycologist. The dobe is a phycologist. Or that's what Hannah tells me. Figures. He always had this way of getting to people, whether they liked it or not. I'm still reeling from the information that the idiot actually got into college as I drive down a dirt road to his house. I guess I shouldn't underestimate him; if memory serves right I did back then and it got me into real trouble.

The sky is streaked with shades of red and orange, the sun disappearing into the earth. I can see the moon, pale in comparison to the sun's light. By the time I reach Naruto, or rather Luke's, house, the sun has been swallowed by the darkness and the moon's light. A blanket of stars had covered the void the sun left behind and illuminated the road ahead of me with shades of white, gray and blue.

I pull into a cracked driveway and nearly tip my car into a pot hole on the way up. The house is an obnoxious baby blue color, but it still manages to remain cute somehow. It's small, with rows of flowers surrounding it. Probably Hinata's handiwork. I can't imagine Naruto having the skills to turn this house into the quint cottage it is. I stalk up the driveway, hands in my pockets, when I hear the door screech as it's opened. It slams shut and I hear his voice, raspy and deep just like it was before.

"Sasuke?"

I stare at my shoes as he takes slow steps towards me, his shadow staining the pavement.

"Is that you?"

His pace quickens, and suddenly I'm enveloped into a bone-crushing hug that only he could deliver. He laughs and I can feel the familiar rumble in the base of his chest. He grabs my shoulders and holds me away from him, that ever-present grin covering his face.

"I'm so glad we found you," he murmurs. I continue to stare at the ground and will myself not to flinch away from him. I'm not used to this, and I'm still not even sure I believe that all this is real.

The best I can manage is a weak "Hi" before I pull away from him.

His grin grows, something I didn't think was possible, and he drags me up the driveway into his house.

"Make yourself comfortable," he yells as he disappears into the kitchen, leaving me behind in a slightly cramped living room. There's papers and who-knows-what-else scattered across the floor, with an empty pizza box lying on the table. I cringe.

"Do you want something to drink?" he calls.

"Uhm… I'm good," I reply. I settle on the couch and wait for the idiot to make a reappearance. When he does, he's still grinning like the moron I remember him as.

"How are you?" he asks, flopping down onto the chair next to me as if nothing's changed.

"Nar-Luke, I want to talk," I say seriously. His smile fades a bit.

"Shoot."

"I think this is insane. I think I've lost it, and you and Hannah must have lost it years ago because there is no way this is real." I falter. I'm crazy. I must be crazy, talking to a complete stranger about this. I half-expect him to tell me I'm crazy, the other half says he's just as crazy as I am so it doesn't really matter what I say.

He laughs. "You know, you're just as stubborn as you were before. You've always been so quick to reject stuff like this."

I glare at him, though I suppose it's not much different from my normal expression. "I'm not stubborn… just cautious. I mean, how do we know? How do we know that we're not just crazy loons who've made up this alternate reality for ourselves? It doesn't add up. We... we were dead," I protest. He pauses and looks down at his lap.

"Sasuke… I know that you're scared to put yourself in a position where you could get hurt again. I know that you're scared to put hope in something that isn't a proven fact. You're scared that if you do, you'll fall and hurt yourself, like you've done before. But I promise, you have people who will catch you now," he says delicately.

It's quiet for a moment. Only the sound of the wind slapping the windows can be heard. Great, awkward silence to add to an already awkward situation.

"How did you know that it was real?" I murmur, looking up at him.

"Me? I don't know… there was never a specific moment that triggered it. I just sort of figured it out. I always knew. I always had the memories, even when I was a kid. I knew, as soon as I walked into the kindergarten classroom that my teacher, Mr. Matthews, was Iruka-sensei. I thought he knew that I was Naruto, his old student… he didn't." He falters and clears his throat. "I knew who Hinata was as soon as I walked into the coffee shop she worked at. I looked into her eyes, and I just knew that she was the one. I knew that I'd found her. Of course, I was positive after she passed out after taking my order. I showed up the next day and she confronted me about it. Unlike you, she didn't deny it. She remembered, and since she worked with so many people, she started looking around for the rest of you."

He smiles and shakes his head. "It's kind of a miracle that the four of us were reborn in the same city. We could be anywhere, but fate wanted us to be together. So tell me, do you think that's Sakura?"

I find his fiery cerulean eyes, and I think back to when I first saw her, with her glassy eyes. I think back to when her eyes lit up the room and dragged you in until it was just you and her. To how when we stood together at the altar, my eyes never left hers. I remember the moment the memories struck… it was when I looked into her eyes.

I give Naruto a small smile.

"You're just the same as you've always been...dobe."

* * *

Lilly

It's quiet and dark, probably close to ten at night. The nurses from earlier have gone home, replaced with a new batch of scrubs. I sigh, and try to move. Pain crawls up my body and steals my breath. My head pounds and breathing is a task. My stomach roils, another lovely product of my concussion. I sigh. The pain med that Dr. Gray gave me is wearing off.

I stare up at the ceiling, willing for a nurse to come in and give me something. Maybe Hannah. She's about the only nurse I can stand in this place.

Something next to me blares. The deafening ring emitting from my bedside causes me to almost fall of the bed. The phone? I shift and reach for it, though I'd never in a million years dream that someone would call me at this time of night, or at any time for that matter. I was under the strong impression that no one really liked me. I pick it up and put it to my ear just as the voice comes through.

"I know where you are. You need to come back home. I need you home. Remember, I'll find you either way," it rasps, low and dangerous. The line goes dead.

I drop the phone and it crashes onto the floor. The walls are closing in on me, the darkness is suffocating. My heart pounds. I can't breathe. I lean over the side of the bed just as my stomach rejects whatever was in it. I lean back, shaking, and grab the pillow beneah my body. I stuff my face in it and scream.

* * *

 **How was it? Like I said, I'm not very confident in this chapter. I hope it was okay. Please review! Constructive criticism is welcomed.**

 **Best Regards,**

 **Ivy**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi, everyone! Thank you so much for taking the time to read this far! It means a lot. I'd also like to thank everyone who reviewed, favorited or followed this story. I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

 **I do not own Naruto.**

* * *

Luke

When you first meet Sasuke, you'll think he's emotionless. He's always got this indifferent, brooding expression. His eyes are always cold, his barriers are almost tangible. He can make someone uncomfortable without looking at them. When I first met him, I hated his cold demeanor that somehow made the girls swoon and the boys whisper about how cool he was. I couldn't figure him out, so I assumed he was a no good jerk that needed to be put in his place. Who better than me to do the job? I'm sure he thought the same about me, though I think he thought of me as more of a nuisance than a rival.

I guess I've developed a knack for reading people, especially Sasuke. Even when he's trying not to show emotion, I can pick up on the little things he does that betray his feelings and figure him out. When you know a guy for this long, you can almost read their mind. You can see the deeper meaning in what they say, what they do.

The nonchalant tone he uses does nothing to hide his surrender. He may as well have said it. _I get it now. I believe you._

I beam at him. A big, ridiculous grin that you usually find on someone who's found something they thought was gone forever.

The corners of his mouth turn up just enough for me to notice. The visible tension in his body releases; he lets out a breath, his posture slackens, his tight jaw relaxes.

Something vibrates from under me, then blares as if I'm not getting to it fast enough. I reach for my back pocket and press the phone to my ear.

"Hello?"

"Naruto, it's me. I… I need you to get here. Quickly."

My stomach drops. I can hear the shake in Hinata's voice, the tremble of her lips as she speaks.

"It's Sakura."

I swallow. "We'll be right there."

The line goes dead. I can feel Sasuke's eyes on me.

"It's Sakura," I say.

On rare occasions, Sasuke Uchiha shows emotion. It's usually concerning someone he cares about, something more important to him than life itself. His eyes widen and flash, his face pales. He stands up and grabs my wrist. My hand wraps around his. I can feel his pulse quicken as he yanks me out the door.

This is one of those moments where I don't need to try and read him. I already know.

* * *

I can see Hinata before Sasuke even parks the car. He pulls into the parking space, his hand white as it squeezes the wheel. He slams on the breaks, causing the car to jerk forward and jumps out. The door slams behind him and rocks the car. I follow him as he begins to run to Hinata, who's still in her scrubs.

"Hinata, what happened?" I call. We stop in front of her and I notice this frantic look that she's got on her face.

"I don't know. She woke up in the middle of the night and started screaming. Several of us rushed in, but it was like she couldn't see us. It went on for a least a half hour before we could calm her down. The whole time she was thrashing around. When she finally stopped screaming, she started to hyperventilate," she falters and bites her lip, shaking her head. "I'm sorry. I should be used to this, but… when it's your friend… it just hits you harder. She used to be one of my best friends…"

Her lower lip trembles. A cold fist wraps around my stomach and squeezes as her eyes begin to water again. I envelop her in my arms. Her body shakes as tears start to soak through my shirt.

"Can we see her?" I ask, noticing that Sasuke's been plunged into silence. He just stands there like a frozen stone. Even his breathing seems to have stilled.

Hinata looks up at me, her hands on my chest. "Probably not. Not that you've ever followed rules, of course."

I offer her a small smile and my hand reaches to touch her cheek. My fingers brush away her tears. "It's all going to be fine, I promise," I say.

Hinata leads us up to the third floor, though I suppose Sasuke doesn't really need to be led anywhere in this hospital. We hear voices as we near a corner and as the wall disappears from our view, it unveils several serious-looking nurses and doctors humming about something. One turns to greet Hinata as we near, then holds up a hand as we apparently get too close.

"I'm sorry, you know the rules, Hannah. No visitors allowed," the nurse smiles. It's one of those fake smiles that you see in cheap commercials. Her teeth are too white, her hair's too blonde. People like this always seem to get on my nerves.

She turns to Sasuke, and her sickly sweet grin gets even more sickly sweet. Figures. I find myself rolling my eyes.

"Dr. Gray! I didn't even see you there!" she giggles. She refrains herself from moving towards him. She's at least a little more settle than the girls at the Academy, I'll give her that. But she loses points for trying. And for making me nauseous.

Sasuke glares at her, venom practically leaking from his eyes. I've been on the receviving end of that look way too many times. I'm actually quite surprised that people like Sasuke are allowed to work in a hospital. I mean, he isn't very people smart. But I guess if flirtatious nurses are allowed to work here, Sasuke should be able to as well. But what do I know?

Sasuke starts to push his way through the huddle of people until he reaches the threshold. The crowd just parts and lets him walk in there. I watch as the light disappears from the front of his body as he crosses into the room.

The huddle disperses and goes on their merry way down the hall, not seeming to care that they just let Sasuke into a room with a patient who just had a mental breakdown when he's not on shift. But then again, what the heck do I know?

My feet start to walk, though I've got this feeling bubbling up inside of me that I don't want to see what's behind that door.

It's silent, except for the slight inhale and exhale of the three of us. Every shred of happiness that was felt less than an hour ago darts from the room, leaving us cold and trembling. She's lying on the bed, her hair matted. The moonlight that sneaks in through the window dances on the walls, creating eerie shadows that surround her. There are pieces of what looks to be a phone on the floor, the plug is pulled out of the wall. I swallow. My stomach flips at the lingering smell of bleach and vomit in the air.

It's almost ironic that Team 7 would be united in a hospital room, but with Sakura lying broken on the bed. It was nearly always Sasuke or I on that bed, with Sakura standing over us.

Sasuke nears the bed, looking down at her. Though the room is dark, the little light that has been able to break through allows us to see her blotchy, swollen face and remnants of tears on her cheeks. I watch as his hand reaches towards her. He hesitates for a moment until he finally leans forward, resting his forehead on her's.

"Damnit," he hisses. My chest constricts. I swear that I see a single tear drip down his face and onto her cheek. He will deny it if I ask him later. He'd say I was imagining things. And look, I know I'm not the sharpest crayon in the box. But I'm not the kind of person who misses stuff like this.

He stands up, his hands balled up into fists. He turns to me, his eyes hateful and full of rage. Poisonous. He turns on his heel and stalks out of the room. My breath catches in my throat.

 _"Thank you, Naruto...thank you so much, for everything. Thanks to you...I still haven't given up on my dream of Team 7 laughing together again."_

I remember her smile. Those green eyes. Then, I see the person in front of me. She's a canvas, covered in red, yellow, blue and white. There's faded bruises on every limb, cuts and scratches decorate her face. Some voice in the back of my head keeps whispering, "That's not Sakura."

I squeeze my eyes shut. _"But Naruto... you've always stayed here by my side... you've encouraged me... I... finally realized who you are Naruto. The hero who protected the village... beloved by everyone in the village... I'm just one of them... That mischievous little dummy I knew... little by little is becoming this great and important man... and I've been watching from right next to him."_

Ever since I was little, I knew that I'd see them again. I was a little kid with a man's memories, and those memories convinced me that if I never gave up on them, I'd find them. I believed that they would remember, and it would be like it always was. But it seemed to me that every time I found someone, they couldn't be reached. They couldn't see me as Naruto Uzumaki. I was just Luke Wright. Tenten, Lee, Kiba, Garra, Iruka-sensei. None of them remembered. I would watch them from a distance, just daring to hope that it would be okay. I would talk to them, and it hurt. It hurt that these people that I loved didn't even know me.

I never imagined that Sakura wouldn't remember. I never imagined that Sakura would have ended up like this. I feel sick to my stomach, knowing that someone did this to her.

I reach out, touch her arm, searching for anything that still remains of the women I remember.

She's cold. If I didn't hear the constant beat of the monitor, I'd think she was a corpse. I flinch and pull away from her, averting my eyes from what looks like a breathless body.

I inhale sharply before staggering out of the room. My legs feel lile bags of water, uncapable of holding my weight.

I find him in the car, his head tilted back. Wrinkles have appeared in the corner of his eyes from the effort of squeezing them shut.

"I'm sorry…" I murmur through the open window. As I open the door and slide into the seat, he glances at me and flicks tears from his face. As if he could hide them from me.

"Why am I here if I was just going to end up in Hell anyways?" he whispers.

I swallow as images of everyone I've found and lost flash through my head.

"She's not going to be the same Sakura. Don't think I missed the phone. I heard what the others were saying. Whoever beat her up called her last night and... damn it. She's never going to be the same. The Sakura we knew is gone!"

The sound of his fist connecting with the wheel echos and I wince. He rarely ever loses it like this. He was always so calm, so stoic. Even on that night, even when he realized it was too late for us, he stayed calm.

"Do you remember what I told you… that night?" I ask.

"No. I don't know what you're referring to."

"The night that… we died."

"...I don't remember."

I find his eyes, still black and cold, but filled with pain. "You will, soon. I promised you something. I promised you that we would see each other again. You and Sakura. We're going to reunite Team 7, and we're not going to give up on her."

He opens his mouth to protest, maybe to offer more of his pessimistic, emo views, but I cut him off.

"Sakura and I never gave up on you, even when you were so far into the darkness that you couldn't see a way out. You were consumed. Yet, you came back to us," I state.

He doesn't speak. I don't speak. The only noise to be heard is the sound of the restless wind.

* * *

 **Was it okay? I hope it wasn't too cliché or cheesy. If it was, or anything else was wrong, constructive criticism is always welcomed.**

 **Please leave a review and tell me what you thought!**

 **Love,**

 **Ivy**


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